The Definitions of Friendship
by Koriel
Summary: They weren't friends anymore, that was made clear enough for the both of them. But they weren't exactly strangers either, because what kind of strangers always had each other on their minds? *OC warning and possible OC/CC parings*


**A/N:** I apologize to Lotori, Ice-Roses, DreamerNumber3, KarinMaaka07, and Nanael107. But I am not sorry to Neko Asura because she was silly and favorited me instead of the story. Stupid punk.

I made some major changes in the original. Like, major. Really major. Super super major. And although I feel really bad for the people that faved and followed the original one, I'm really hyped for this one and excited for how it'll turn out.

Also, the chapters won't be as long... I felt the one of the main reasons why I didn't continue the other one is because I felt I _had_ to make the second chapter as long as the first one.

After nearly like a year or something, I decided that it was going to be crumpled up and made anew, and so here it is! :D

Thank for you clicking and giving me a second chance! :')

For those who read Try Again, there is one or two things you need to know:

1 - Sori's name is changed to Minari (still a Korean name, lol), and a boy. Legit. Boy, not boyish-girl, or girlish-boy. And Neko/Stepheny is no more, replaced with the calling of "Nico". Like, Nico Nico Douga/Chorus. Grin. Grinning. Cat. Grinning. Cheshire cat. Cat. Neko. Cheshire cat. Grinning. Nico. (...CONNECTIONS, YO. *v*))

2 - No from-real-world-into-KHR-world anymore. That's much too hard to manage, unfortunately (or fortunately? haha).

3 - Starting is boring, sorry. ; 7;) I think and hope it'll get better for you guys.

And that's about it. Again, thank you! -hearts-

DISCLAIMER: If KHR had been mine, Bermuda's un-cursed form would have been a sexy hunk. Not some creepy tree-trunk-size-armed frog-face asshole derpjerk. Yeeeeea. l:T

* * *

_**Transient:** because some of the really good friends you had before are now the ones you pass by without a single word in between._

* * *

No seemed to notice anything that happened around Namimori.

Didn't anyone ever hear the explosions? There had even been a public shooting incident that one time in front of school! And one of them looked like the Disciplinary Committee Head as a baby! What about the times when that Sawada kid had been beating other students up in only his boxers and his head literally on _fire_? Since when did that nice boy start doing things like fighting grown men who looked like serial killers and psychopaths and—and—and...

Why hadn't anyone started a search party when him and Nami-chuu's baseball ace and bomb-crazy delinquent and the Head and the boxing captain and the prettiest girl in school _vanished_? Into thin air! With a poof!

Well, they _did_ come back almost immediately... but still!_  
_

And then there was that time when those transfer students came around and then clash of Committees and then something about families and then—and then more _babies_ and—weird, cloaked guys coming out of those creepy gooey black slime portals with-with _chains_, and...

That Sawada kid started hanging out with _all sorts_ of people—_even Hibari Kyoya!_

Minari had absolutely no clue what had gone on in Sawada's life the past one or so years. But whatever happened, no one ever called him "Dame-Tsuna" anymore. It wasn't like he became a bully himself or something like that, but everyone noticed the change of air around him. It was like he gained a new confidence in himself (which was good, really good, he was glad for that) and had this... this _powerful aura_ that said he was something far above an average fifteen-year-old middle school student with bad grades.

Not only with Sawada, but with the others, too.

Nami-chuu's prized athletic player, Yamamoto Takeshi, wasn't really all that... _approachable_ anymore. Don't get it wrong, he was still the same old friendly baseball-fanatic, but there was something off about the way to talked to the other players and the way he looked at the opposing team.

Like he was saying that he'd faced people much, much more challenging than sports-students his age. And the glint in his eyes... like he was going for the kill, as if he couldn't afford making hits other than full swings and go for nothing better than strikes when it was his turn to pitch.

The school's toughest delinquent, Gokudera Hayato, became even worse. Sure, he didn't shout as much or pull out those fireworks (but Minari knew better, those were _definitely not_ fireworks) as often, but in the place of his hot-headed-ness was a cold, calculating narrowed eyes that measured the target's worth. Minari himself was never on the receiving end of that look, but his other (in-class only) friends had. They described it as "_my entire existence being weighted, if I was a threat or just... nothing at all._"

Minari had never expected it, but even the school's number one female idol seemed to act the same way. She was standing up for others and nothing seemed to scare her. The manner of which she stared up at the bullies made them feel like they were being stared _down_, it was like she knew worse, worse foes and wasn't afraid by some nilly-willy gangster-wannabes like the majority of Nami-chuu's male student population were.

Needless to say, it was extremely unnerving.

But speaking of "extreme", it looked like only the boxing captain stayed as is. Either that, or he had some kind of switch in personalities. But for all Minari could observe, Sasagawa Ryohei hadn't changed, and that was an... well, it was an extreme relief.

Everything noted was a huge blow to Minari. Yeah, it wasn't like he knew them as friends, but they had passed by each other often, they had all the same classes.. and he was one of the students Sawada didn't cower at immediately. They would make small talk and the shorter boy wouldn't be afraid to voice his opinions, which had made Minari proud at both himself and Sawada for.

Yeah, they weren't friends. They weren't even close.

But didn't those many little things back then mean anything? Didn't they stand for _something_?

Or was it all just nothing?

-KHR-

The day had started out bad, major league _bad_ for him.

Well, most days were pretty bad, but being with his friends made up for it usually, and washed all his silly little problems away pretty well too.

But today... today was really, really bad.

It started out with when him and his buddies arrived at the school gate. Hibari Kyoya had been there for the occasional student appearance check-up, and unfortunately, he was a worse mood than usual.

There were some morons that tried to fight back against the "tyranny" and made a huge commotion out of it, which had Nico caught up into it, her being petite in stature and easily overlooked.

Nico wasn't a very ruly girl. She often got into fights with other _boys_, and she almost always won... by herself, at least. Nevertheless, she was tough. If someone took a survey, she would end up in the top ten strongest students in Nami-chuu. (Minari wasn't sure about all of _Namimori_, but if it was Nami-chuu only, definitely.) Now she was far worse, since their other best friend had moved to Italy for family business reasons.

So when she was elbowed in the face by accident, her shorter-than-usual temper got the best of her and she flew into the fight like a ferocious panther out for blood because of wounded pride (which was probably true, she liked being untouchable in her rumbles).

And like usual, Minari (and with the third friend in their little group, but she wasn't here anymore so he was by himself) hung back in wait for her to finish it off. (Call him cowardly, but Minari was never the brave person. He was little-less-than-healthy and average in body-prowess, but even _if_ he was buff or something, he still wouldn't be too keen on getting hurt, or hurting others.) Soon enough, the cattish girl had done in nearly all the stupid rebel-boys.

Nearly, because Hibari Kyoya was still standing without so much a single scratch on his clothes.

Now, Minari was rarely ever worried for his little friend. She could more than take care of herself in a fight, but... Hibari Kyoya? After all he'd noticed and seen the changes? No, never. Nico wasn't going to even come _close_ to beating Hibari Kyoya.

But then... Surely, surely... Hibari Kyoya knew of chivalry? He wouldn't ever hurt a girl, would he? He didn't seem the ty—

"Don't think just because you're female I'll go easy on you. I'll bite you to death."

—pe...

Oh, fuck no.

Here, Minari's protective-friend-feels activated, and he stupidly tried to mediate between the two. He placed his hands on Nico's shoulders, making her glare up at him. But being used to her violence, it had no effect on him. "Come on, you had your fun. Let's go to class already."

As he spoke, he steered her away from the scary DC Head, pushing the feisty girl as far as possible from the monster that was Hibari Kyoya at the moment.

But no one ever—repeat—_ever_, turned their backs on Hibari Kyoya.

As soon as he got his small friend to turn all the way around and walk a couple steps away, he heard a sharp _swoosh_, and his head exploded.

Whenever he heard people threatened others with "a world of pain", he'd usually snicker quietly at how ridiculous they sounded saying that. But now, he regretted ever laughing at them, because "a world of pain" was that he was feeling at the moment.

Everything swirled in fast speeds around him, the world flipped upwards, turned sideways, face down.

He couldn't think, it hurt so much.

Was his head split open?

It probably was, it certainly felt that way.

What was that dripping sound...?

There were dark spots, blotches, a pretty big puddle.

He couldn't see clearly, he couldn't hear right, what was happening?

Who was yelling like that?

Was that...

No, it couldn't be, that kid would never yell at anyone, he was such a kindhearted boy...

He wasn't... was he?

Minari had to make sure that wasn't him, to prove his hearing right.

He gasped and took rapid breaths to soothe the pain out, holding his head out of reflex. His hand was wet, why was it wet? Was he... _bleeding_? No, no way. He'd never bled from his _head_ before, that was just... Oh, _god_, someone, _something_, take this fucking hurt from him, it hurt so goddamn _much_...

But he stood, he stood out of pure will, he needed to check on Nico. Was she okay? That bastard didn't hurt her, did he? Minari hoped she didn't try and punch him or something gangster-ish like that... He was probably the one that fucking hit him on his head too, that ass.

Someone was grabbing his arm pretty tightly, Minari'd thought the guy was desperate for something.

"—kay?!"

'Okay'? Yeah, he was fine... just in a world of fucking hurt, but otherwise, he was perfectly a-okay. See? He smiled to prove it, it was true anyway. What? Him, a liar? Naw, he wouldn't ever lie... Especially not to his _friends_, of course not! Anyway, where was that douchebag? He needed to have a long talk with him.

But holy _fuck_, why was everything so goddamn _blurry_? Wait, he'd read something from somewhere that if someone was in pain, they couldn't see very well... Whelp, that was that then. He'll just yell.

It was hard. To talk, that is, without sounding drunk or whatever. But he'd managed, it was kind of the same when he was sick or something. Taking in a deep breath that sent a spike of sharp pain up to his already hurting head, he spoke in his loudest voice.

"_What the hell is wrong with you?_"_  
_

Then, suddenly, all he could hear was the pain buzzing in his ears and his own voice vibrating in his head.

"Just because you're _strong_... Just 'cause you're the _Head_, or whatever... That doesn't mean you can just bash someone in the fuckin' _head_ like that, you... you self-centered _tyrant_!"_  
_

He wasn't thinking. He clearly wasn't thinking, because if he had been, he wouldn't have said the things he'd said soon afterwards. He must've been done some serious ranting, because Minari remembered silence stretching for a whole minute and before snapping something along the lines of, "_f__uck this hurts can't someone do anything?_"

Then it ended lamely with him fainting from all the fucking hurt he was going through.

And when he came to, he was nearly blinded by the sheer whiteness and almost choked on the sudden onslaught of medicine smells. He hated hospitals, was he in the hospital? He probably was, since he was smacked the shit out of in the head...

"Nope. You're in the nurse place."

There was only one person Minari knew that didn't know the exact names of places (and sometimes people). He sat up and watched the room twist for a bit before facing his rather guilty-looking feline-like friend that was a girl.

He sighed, "At least it's not the hospital." He'd tried to smile to cheer her up because he had no fucking clue how to deal with sad girls, but then Sawada and that now-really-scary-group of his walked in. Actually, it was just the miraculous trio minus the baseball ace and plus a girl wearing a chrome skull eye-patch.

Either way, they still made the hairs on the back of Minari's neck rise immediately and his mind scream at him that these people were _dangerous_ and could certainly kill him... if they wanted to, that is.

Rubbing his alarm away (or trying to) and (attempting) to stop Nico from hovering protectively over him, he glanced warily but not hostilely at the younger boy who used to be his equal.

After a few seconds, the spiky-haired boy began to speak in a non-Tsuna manner. His eyes were firm and his tone was stern, his entire body rigid and for whatever reason, alert and on guard.

"I'm sorry for your injuries," he said, and Minari asked him, "Why?"

That seemed to make the smaller (oh, but now that Minari had a good look at him as he was currently, the other boy was no longer shorter than him and he didn't know what to think of it) brunet falter in his regal stature and for a moment, Minari saw the fumbling, hesitant boy he recognized rather than... the one before.

"E-excuse me?" Hearing Sawada stutter put a sense of relief in the older boy. Minari repeated his question. "Why are you sorry?"

Nami-chuu's most famous delinquent spoke for the stammering boy, "Are you retarded? Because the Tenth is responsible for everything his _famiglia_ does, obviously!"

No, _not_ 'obviously'. Minari hardly ever was mean to anyone, he liked treating others nicely even if he was being shot down, but this, this _punk_... The glasses-wearing (near) seventeen-year-old narrowed his black eyes and frowned at the gray-haired smoker. "I wasn't speaking to you, was I?" His usual mellow tone of voice turned coldly harsh, which riled up his female friend more than was safe.

But the boy didn't back up and retorted almost instantly, "I'm the Tenth's right hand, I have the right to speak for him, you stupid fucker!"

What. Da. Fuq.

Nico started to round up on the gray-haired boy, snarling and hissing dangerous things at him, while Minari was fuming on the inside that he was _not_ going to just _sit_ there, in the unnecessarily hard infirmary cot, and take _bullshit_ from thi—

"_Gokudera-kun._"

—...what?

Just like that, the room froze over, everyone's attention was on one person, and the heated tension vanished and Minari was looking at Sawada's strangely resolute orange-tinted brown eyes.

He saw no trace of the former kind meekness that was the Tsuna he had known.

"He's not wrong, I _am_ responsible for whatever that happens to anyone in this place."

'_This place_'? Minari wondered absentmindedly if he meant the school... or the entire town of Namimori. He stared into those no longer round orbs and leaned back to see the boy as a whole.

"I'm sorry, but please don't associate with us anymore."

It was then, that Minari couldn't deny that his "Yoshi" was gone. He had to acknowledge this stranger that was named "Sawada Tsunayoshi", and he was no longer the "Ari-sempai" that helped him daily in after-class cleanup duties and could freely talk to about his everyday troubles.

For all this Sawada Tsunayoshi cared, a big fat "no one special" label was slapped on Jin Minari's face.

-KHR-

And then the next day, Nico disappeared.

She'd stuck something on his front door before she left. 'Italy' was all he could manage. Everything else was smeared and illegible.

All of his friends seemed to be going to Italy lately. Minari had kept it in the back of his mind, or at least tried to, but the reminder that Sawada Tsunayoshi and everyone that was 'associated' with him was transferring there popped up in the front of his thoughts.

The so-called Tenth, his "right hand", the baseball prodigy, the boxing captain, that jerk-face Disciplinary Committee leader, the chrome-skull girl... and a few others too, but Minari didn't know them as well as those listed.

_I'm gonna hooky,_ he decided quietly, so random and sudden that he was surprised by his own mind. He crumpled the post-it note. It had been a long while since he'd willingly skipped school. He threw the now-trash to the side, not caring at the moment that he was littering. In fact, he was pretty sure he wasn't in right in the head at the moment. He didn't bring his bag, of course, but didn't change out of his school uniform either.

_At this rate,_ he thought, smiling sardonically to himself, _I'll probably fail again, won't I_. Minari wasn't like Hibari Kyoya, he didn't stay back for another year just out of love for Nami-chuu. He just hadn't passed the year and was forced to stay back. The reason for failing was skipping almost regularly and causing rather life-threatening mayhem of various types for the school.

This time, though, he was supposed to pass. He'd made real friends, and soon found himself wanting to graduate so he would stay friends with them.

But they were gone now, and he didn't want to anymore.

What was the point, if the sole reason for that goal wasn't there beside him, pushing him forward? He might as well just fuck shit up even more now, much worse than before since Hibari goddamn Kyoya wasn't around to break him in separate pieces.

But _no_. No, life was going to just an ass like that and not let him do what he wanted, because he was staring right at Namimori Middle school's most popular girl, and she was staring right back.

And she recognized him too. Minari saw that she did, and saw that she noticed his missing school bag as well. But Minari didn't give a flying fuck, and he certainly wouldn't give a single damn if she told on him to the teachers like the perfect, well-being, idol student she was.

There was another girl beside her, although Minari didn't know who she was... not that he cared. She looked at him in disapproval, probably realizing he was doing hooky, and he responded with absolutely nothing except for turning the corner and walking to wherever life wouldn't reach.

Because Jin Minari was going to be nosy for the first time in his life._  
_

By going to the Sawada residence.

Where the boxing club's captain and ace's little sister and friend was heading to.

Then Minari remembered that there was no place that life didn't reach, and he was going to screwed over with until the day he died.

* * *

**A/N:**

aaaaand i have no fuqing clue what I'm doinggggg

but i have everything planned outtttt

holy sheeeeeet

*coughs*

but srsly, thanks for clicking on this, and thank you very much if you read the entire thing.

if you are wanting for the second chapter, i'm not really sure when it'll be done.

this shit is ALL OVER the place.

have a good rest of the day. * 7*))/

two parentheses b/c i'm fat ha ha ha ha -flopdead-


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